SVAPS Systems rebuilt a text analysis program for Apple and Windows desktops. They worked with the internal staff to conceptualize core features and ensured compatibility with a proprietary sales product.

The Reviewer

11-50 Employees

Austin, Texas

James W. Pennebaker

CEO, Pennebaker Conglomerates

Verified

the reviewer

CEO, Pennebaker Conglomerates

James W. Pennebaker

Computer Software

11-50 Employees

Austin, Texas

Online Review

The client submitted this review online.

Verified

5.0

Quality:

5.0

Schedule:

5.0

Cost:

5.0

Willing to refer:

5.0

the review

"Their code was masterful and the final product is phenomenal."

Oct 02, 2019

The Review

Feedback summary:

The final solution works exceedingly well, being able to handle extremely large text files in various formats. SVAPS Systems continues to support and improve the program when needed. They're able to anticipate unforeseen hurdles and have demonstrated a solution-oriented mindset.

the review

I'm CEO of Pennebaker Conglomerates, a small company that originally developed at text analysis program.

I'm also the co-founder and Chief Scientific Officer of Receptiviti, a Toronto-based company that develops language analysis solutions for companies.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire SVAPS Systems?

SVAPS-Systems completed rebuilt our text analysis program LIWC in 2015 making a unified platform for Macs and PCs that was integrated with a sales platform.

In the years since, SVAPS has helped to modernize the system and add new features as needed.

What were your goals for this project?

The text analysis program had to run efficiently and to work with thousands of users who had minimal knowledge of a text analysis platform. It should also be integrated with our commercial product run through Receptiviti. SVAPS-Systems had to work with two groups with differing needs.

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor?

I had worked with several developers earlier but none truly understood the complexity of our problems. SVAPS-Systems was recommended by a developer group in Toronto.

In interviews with the SVAPS-Systems CEO, Alexander Chingarev, it was clear that he had a broad overview of my needs. I was also looking for someone who was quite flexible and was able to listen.

The decision to go with SVAPS was made by a group of people on the Pennebaker Conglomerates side (who are mostly academics) and Receptiviti (many with IT and development experience).

Describe the project and the services they provided in detail.

SVAPS worked with me and our in-house experts to modernize the original LIWC program.

The program relied on a group of text dictionaries that included internal dictionaries and also user-created dictionaries. In the analysis of text, the program needed to be able to analyze millions of files as well as extremely large csv/excel files (as well as text, rtf, non-image pdfs formats).

The system had to be extremely fast and to provide understandable output that could be used by researchers and, in some cases, novices. Many of the decisions were jointly made by the SVAPS group and our group. It was very much a collaboration.

What was the team composition?

The Pennebaker Conglomerates team included a social psychologist, a computational social scientist, and a computational immunologist (all academics) with extensive background in LIWC and text analysis.

On the Receptiviti side, we worked with a project director, two developers with CS backgrounds. We only worked with Alexander Chingarev on the SVAPS side.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

Can you share any information that demonstrates the impact that this project has had on your business?

SVAPS-Systems was amazing. The development of the program took about 6-8 months and worked exceptionally well. We worked closely together and were constantly testing the system over the development process.

When unexpected problems occurred (sometimes from our side, sometimes from SVAPS), we would troubleshoot together. Once the product was launched, SVAPS was (and is) always available to help out.

I've never worked with any group as impressive as SVAPS. They far exceeded my initial goals and expectations.

How was project management arranged and how effective was it?

Ours was a relatively informal arrangement. We connected via email and Skype. We had regular Skype meetings. SVAPS knew which of my team to talk with for specific problems. It was like having SVAPS in the office next door.

Although the project involved people in Belarus, Canada, New Zealand, and the US, there were never any language or communication problems.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

SVAPS-Systems understood our problem, listened to our challenges, and could anticipate hurdles we hadn't considered. Their code was masterful and the final product is phenomenal.

Are there any areas for improvement?

5.0

Overall ScoreSVAPS Systems is a remarkable group. I felt that they were a member of my organization by the time the project was completed.

SVAPS is developing a mobile-responsive web app in Scala and Angular. They’re also responsible for automated testing, QA, and DevOps.

The Reviewer

1-10 Employees

Antwerp, Belgium

Peter De Cuyper

CTO, Pro Alliance

Verified

the reviewer

CTO, Pro Alliance

Peter De Cuyper

Retail

1-10 Employees

Antwerp, Belgium

Online Review

The client submitted this review online.

Verified

4.5

Quality:

4.5

Schedule:

4.5

Cost:

3.5

Willing to refer:

4.5

the review

"They have a young, well-educated, enthusiastic team that’s willing to learn and grow."

Apr 20, 2019

The Review

Feedback summary:

SVAPS’ development efforts are greatly appreciated by stakeholders as they transition from an MVP to a fully functioning product. They have a strong work ethic and pride themselves on their ability to continue learning. Customers can expect a professional, communicative partner.

We’re working with a team of eight people including a senior Scala developer, a junior Scala developer, two Angular developers, two QA and automated testing resources, one project manager, and one DevOps resource.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

Can you share any information that demonstrates the impact that this project has had on your business?

SVAPS is providing services that are critical us building an MVP and a fully operational product.

How was project management arranged and how effective was it?

We’re handling project management in-house, but we have daily contact with their project manager. They’ve displayed excellent product knowledge and a strong understanding of our business needs.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

They have a young, well-educated, enthusiastic team that’s willing to learn and grow. No question is too hard for them.

the review

A Clutch analyst personally interviewed this client over the phone. Below is an edited transcript.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I work for a company called iText Software. We are a technology provider that focuses on everything related to PDF technology. We offer a set of components, software libraries, for developers. We are a Tier 2 provider to other technology companies and help them enable all kinds of PDF functionalities in their applications. We don't offer any end-user applications; we only offer the technical building blocks to other technology providers to enable them to use PDF technology.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with SVAPS Systems?

When we upgraded our flagship product from Version 5 to Version 7, a big challenge for us was updating documentation. Our previous version of the product was well-documented over the years and was kind of a reference in the developer community, mainly because of that feature. When we released a new version, we had to catch up in terms of documentation. For a more important project, we contacted SVAPS and asked them to help us by migrating the existing Version 5 documentation to Version 7.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

This project mainly involved migrating code samples, especially Java code samples, from our old version of the product to the new version. We supplied SVAPS with a set of existing codes, but they also came up with their own interesting examples. We shared a versioning system, a code source depository, where they could commit their work, which was quite convenient for us to integrate into our own workflow of publishing those examples and using them afterward.

In terms of managing the file, the code samples, we never experienced any difficulty working with them or with the technology in general, partly because of the technology we used. It’s a versioning system for source code, which means that if you make any kind of mistake, it’s always possible to roll back or go to a previous version. In general, it’s the default practice in software development to use such tools. We’re accustomed to using it, and so is SVAPS, so we didn't experience any problems working together in that way.

How did you come to work with SVAPS Systems?

I had worked with a founder of the company, Alexander, when he was at a previous company, which was also in PDF technology. When we needed additional resources for this project, I thought of him. We knew each other already, and I was confident in his skills. SVAPS’ existing experience in the PDF world made it easy for me to pick them.

How much have you invested with SVAPS Systems?

We would like to keep that confidential.

What is the status of this engagement?

We began the project March 2016 and ended it September 2016.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

Could you share any evidence that would demonstrate the productivity, quality of work, or the impact of the engagement?

The content that SVAPS produces is published on our website and is actively used as a way of documentation for our customers. I consider that a measure of success.

How did SVAPS Systems perform from a project management standpoint?

We’ve had a good experience working with SVAPS, which wasn’t a big surprise because I had worked with Alexander in the past. I especially liked that they really take ownership of a project. They are not a typical outsourcing company where you have to give them specific requirements, and they execute those blindly. They tried to think along with us, give suggestions, and come up with improvements for the project. That makes it convenient for me so I don't have to spell out every detail beforehand; we can cooperate as the project goes. The fact that they take ownership also meant that our communication was always open. They clearly communicated what they were trying to do and how they would do a better job than what I suggested. They also gave me decent feedback about delays in planning or even vacation days of some of the team members that would have an impact on the project. All in all, it was an easy experience working with them, which is what I expected.

Are there any areas SVAPS Systems could improve?

On the ideas where they took more initiative, it would have been better if they had gotten feedback from me earlier. In terms of the story that we’re telling with the documentation and these examples, we might have been able to be more consistent. Some of the examples are technically good, but they aren’t really selling the story as we would have liked it.

What tips or recommendations could you share that might increase the likelihood of success with SVAPS Systems?

When you’re working with SVAPS, I think it’s important to realize you're not dealing with a typical offshoring or outsourcing company. I think you get the best results with them if you communicate with them on a peer level and try to incorporate and value their feedback because they have the experience, and they stick along with not only your technical needs but also your business needs. Use working with SVAPS as an opportunity; don’t see it as a threat from somebody who doesn't want to execute your requirements or roadmap as you define them. Try to incorporate their feedback into the project because that’s a major strength and a benefit of working with them.

4.0

Overall ScoreIt was generally a positive experience, and it was easy to work with them. As the project manager, it didn't require a lot of effort to get them to deliver good results on time.

4.5Scheduling

ON TIME / DEADLINES

We generally got our deliverables on time. Communication during the project was open and clear. There were some unexpected delays, which often happens with software development, but they were communicated to us in a timely manner.

4.0Cost

Value / within estimates

I know we could get cheaper resources if we went to India, for example. I also realize that the quality we’re getting here is much better than what we’d get in a different situation.

4.0Quality

Service & deliverables

In general, I was happy with the deliverables and the way they did the work. A little bit more back and forth and feedback in the project would have been good in some cases. Apart from that, it was completely satisfactory.

4.5NPS

Willing to refer

My experiences with SVAPS have been positive in general. I don’t have any reason not to recommend them besides a few practical constraints (e.g. it’s not always easy for a US or Western European company to work with a Belarusian company).

SVAPS Systems contributes 10 subcontracted resources to support full-stack software development, maintenance, and testing. The team also assists with cleaning data and designing visualization platforms.

The Reviewer

11-50 Employees

Belgium

Co-Founder, Data Visualization Service

Verified

the reviewer

Co-Founder, Data Visualization Service

Computer Software

11-50 Employees

Belgium

Phone Interview

A Clutch analyst personally interviewed this client over the phone.

Verified

4.5

Quality:

4.5

Schedule:

4.0

Cost:

4.5

Willing to refer:

5.0

the review

"We’re always on the same page, and deadlines have been met well."

Apr 28, 2017

The Review

Feedback summary:

Throughout the hands-on collaboration, SVAPS Systems’ resources have shouldered key portions of the workflow. Their quickness in accommodating feedback, regular communication, and eagerness to meet expectations continue to impress.

the review

A Clutch analyst personally interviewed this client over the phone. Below is an edited transcript.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

We have 20–25 people and specialize in data visualization for clients. We offer our own product and also take on project work.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with SVAPS Systems?

We had some large projects that required more developer capacity than we could provide.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

One of our projects involved a large system for which we needed to process a lot of data and create different visualizations for it. We built a backend system that processed large amounts of data, making it easily queried by the client application. The frontend was built using AngularJS and JavaScript. SVAPS Systems worked as a subcontractor and provided 10 frontend and backend engineers. They were mostly involved in development, maintenance, and testing, but they also helped with some design. The production version needed to be kept live while adding any new implementations, and SVAPS Systems provided bug fixes as needed.

We’ve also worked with SVAPS Systems on a project using Scala, and there was also some Python work done on a limited basis.

The second project involved supply-chain data that were gathered from multiple suppliers, carriers, and logistics services providers. We helped clean that data and built a platform on which all those parties could interact and visualize the data.

How did you come to work with SVAPS Systems?

We’d worked with SVAPS Systems for a different company, starting 10 years ago. They were initially recommended by another party in Belgium.

How much have you invested with SVAPS Systems?

The cost varies month by month. In the beginning, we had a cost of under $10,000, but we have had months with more than $20,000 in cost more recently. The overall cost has been over $100,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working with SVAPS Systems in September of 2015. The work is still ongoing.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

Could you share any evidence that would demonstrate the productivity, quality of work, or impact of the engagement?

We rely heavily on SVAPS Systems and use an Agile process for tracking everything. The collaboration has been more operational and hands-on, so I couldn’t provide any simple metrics.

There are quite a few people from SVAPS Systems’ side working for us, and we definitely expect to continue working with them in the future.

How did SVAPS Systems perform from a project management standpoint?

We are in charge of project management, while SVAPS Systems mainly focuses on development and testing. We do welcome their input, though. We use Skype and Slack for communication, as well as a whole bunch of cloud-based tools. We’re always on the same page, and deadlines have been met well.

What did you find most impressive about SVAPS Systems?

Being almost in the same time zone has really helped. We did work with companies in India and other parts of the world, and the collaboration was more difficult. SVAPS Systems’ culture is close to ours, which also helps.

Are there any areas SVAPS Systems could improve?

There’s always room for improvement, but we’ve kept a hands-on approach on a daily basis. Whenever something needs to change, we will feed it back to SVAPS Systems, and they react well. We’ve never let things escalate; if something concerns us, we will immediately talk to SVAPS Systems and get it resolved. Although they’re 2,000 kilometers away, SVAPS Systems feels like they’re only a city away.

What tips or recommendations could you share that might increase the likelihood of success with SVAPS Systems?

Working with a development team in general, whether internal or remote, requires open communication lines and continuous investment. The more this is done, the more return the client will have.

4.5

Overall Score

4.0Scheduling

ON TIME / DEADLINES

It’s always a bit harder to work with a remote team. The upfront communication could be improved, but we’re generally pleased.

4.5Cost

Value / within estimates

The price-to-quality ratio is good, but improving deliverable management and having more maturity on the architectural side would be even better.

4.5Quality

Service & deliverables

SVAPS Systems has always met our expectations, and they’re easy to work with. More skills on the architectural side would bring the score up.

SVAPS assisted in developing a data and documentation-driven software, lending expertise in creation, manipulation, and submission of PDFs. Their work continues with other contracted development projects.

The Reviewer

11 - 50 Employees

Philadelphia Metro Area

Diana Yeung

Senior Developer, Document Submissions Service

Verified

the reviewer

Senior Developer, Document Submissions Service

Diana Yeung

Computer Software

11 - 50 Employees

Philadelphia Metro Area

Phone Interview

A Clutch analyst personally interviewed this client over the phone.

Verified

5.0

Quality:

4.5

Schedule:

5.0

Cost:

4.0

Willing to refer:

5.0

the review

"SVAPS is very capable and responsive, and they do exactly as you request them to do."

Apr 27, 2017

The Review

Feedback summary:

SVAPS delivers exactly what’s expected. Their work is timely, the team is responsive to changes and questions, and they’re thorough in laying out the details of a project before beginning. They effectively flesh out questions and challenges before they become problems, ensuring a smooth timeline.

the review

A Clutch analyst personally interviewed this client over the phone. Below is an edited transcript.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m a senior developer for a company that was recently acquired by another firm. My day-to-day functions have more or less stayed the same. We develop software to help the application process for drug submissions. So basically, a pharmaceutical company would find a drug that they wanted to market to the public, but first, they have to submit an application to the government to get approval. They’re required to go through testing and they have to record all the information from those trials. All that information is data, and that data is submitted to the government as part of their application. We help streamline that process with our software.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with SVAPS Systems?

We have a lot of documentation that is in the format of PDF. We approached SVAPS because we had previously worked with their development director, Alexander. We approached him with some questions regarding how to do certain things with PDFs, manipulation, creation, all that stuff. We heard about his company and went from there.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

I don’t know if I can go into too much detail about the specifics about the programs.

How did you come to work with SVAPS Systems?

We heard about them because of Alex, but we ended up contracting them for work with general programs that we were thinking about incorporating into our software.

How much have you invested with SVAPS Systems?

I’m not at liberty to disclose that information.

What is the status of this engagement?

If I recall correctly, I started communication with them in the spring of 2016. A lot of our projects are one-time projects, but we’ve actually gone back to them several times for different things. That first project we started in the spring is now finished. We contracted them for some bug fixes with PDF work, and we’re currently thinking about contracting them for something else, details still pending.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

Could you share any evidence that would demonstrate the productivity, quality of work, or the impact of the engagement?

I don’t have any statistics, but I can tell you that working with them is a very pleasant experience. They are very responsive, and if you have any comments or questions, they respond quickly and address any issues that you have.

How did SVAPS Systems perform from a project management standpoint?

I would give them a very high score. They always try to gather all the information and get the details before they start. Obviously, sometimes things fall through, and when they do, we communicate about it and work from there. Most of the time, things run pretty smoothly.

What did you find most impressive about SVAPS Systems?

I haven’t worked with too many external vendors, but from what I’ve gathered, SVAPS is very capable and responsive, and they do exactly as you request them to do. I would say that stands out to me.

Are there any areas SVAPS Systems could improve?

I can’t think of anything.

5.0

Overall Score– It is pleasant to talk to them. They’re very responsive.

5.0Scheduling

ON TIME / DEADLINES

We don’t generally impose very strict deadlines, but every time we’ve contracted out work, they’ve gotten it done in a timely manner.

4.0Cost

Value / within estimates

They stick to their estimates really well. They have quality developers and they deliver good code. For the most part, I like their timelines and the work that they do within that timeline.

4.5Quality

Service & deliverables

Most of the time their deliverables are great. They work as expected. The only reason I took off the half is that there was one project that we had to point out some bugs they missed after we told them to fix it. But as a whole, they did well.

5.0NPS

Willing to refer

I’m very likely to recommend them. At the end of the day, I’m very happy with their work.